Cigar machine



Jan. 30, 1968 s. T. GUSTAVSON 3,366,124

CIGAR MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR :STER LING T. GUSTAVSON BY jig (M46 KS Z ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1968 s. T. GUSTAVSON CIGAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1964 Jan. 30,1968 5. T.-GUSTAVSON CIGAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 7. 1964 STERLING T. GUSTAVSON BY a -6 ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1968 T. GUSTAVSON 4 CIGAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. '7, 1964 FBQQ FIG.5

I liiillml 40 INVENTOR STERLING T. GUSTAVSON ATTORNEY V United States Patent C) 3,366,124 CIGAR MACHINE Sterling T. Gustavson, Rosedale, N.Y., assiguor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,126 3 Claims. (Cl. 131-53) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A Toscani cigar making machine having a rolling table, a rolling apron thereon and means for causing said apron to roll a cigar bunch with tapered edges.

This invention relates, in general, to a cigar making ma chine. In particular, the invention relates to a cigar making machine comprising a tandem arrangement of rolling tables, for first rolling a bunch charge into a binder, and then for rolling the bound bunch into a wrapper. In greater particularity, the invention relates to a cigar making machine wherein the bunch is formed and bound on the belt or apron of a short filler type (bunch end) machine, and wherein the bound bunch is then wrapped and shaped on the belt or apron of a Tos-cani type machine. 1

An object of the invention is to effect an increase in the speed of cigar production.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a tandem rolling table machine the means for performing the cigar manufacturing steps heretofore performed by a rolling table and a wrapping device comprising a nest of cylindrical elements.

Still another object of the invention improved cigar-shape controlling device.

A feature of the invention is the novel arrangement and configuration of the tandem rolling tables.

Another feature is the novel drive and adjustable control arrangement of the rolling apron of the second rolling table, whereby the shape of the cigar is predetermined, and is controlled while the wrapper is being applied thereto.

The above, and other, objects and features will be evident from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tandem rolling table cigar machine, indicating the various mechanisms thereof and their interrelationship;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the wrapper-applying rolling table, the rolling apron, and the driving mechanism for the rolling pin and the apron;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the same, taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the apron length-adjusting means;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the cam arrangement, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a profile view of a cigar, typical of those which may be made by the machine disclosed in the instant application.

It is to be understood that where the same part or element of the machine appears in more than one of the figures of the drawings, it will carry the same identifying designation throughout.

is to provide an General description To facilitate an understanding of the invention, the tandem rolling table cigar machine will first be described in very general terms. Referring to FIG. 1, the hopper D1 of turret TB will have been rotated 180 3,366,124 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 C where it is compressed into a horizontal column. A bunch charge is then severed from the column of tobacco in the compression chamber. The thus-formed bunch charge is transferred from the compression chamber, by a transfer mechanism, to the pocket of the rolling apron of the binder-applying rolling table BT. The structure for accomplishing the foregoing operations may be similar to that disclosed in Patent 2,306,381, issued to J. P. Burning, Dec. 29, 1942.

While the bunch charge is being formed, as above described, a leaf of tobacco placed upon the cutting die to position D1; the binder-cutting roller assembly BC will have coacted with the cutting die to cut a binder therefrom; the binder transfer a-rm AB will have picked up the cut binder B by pivoted suction head HB, and will have rotated on its support to place the cut binder B upon the binder rolling table BT, where the binder p aster BP, of conventional design, will have applied paste to the binder B.

The rolling pin (not shown) of the binder rolling table BT now rolls the bunch charge into the binder B placed ing patent. The construction of the above-mentioned turret and transfer arm, may be similar to that disclosed in Patent 3,033,210, issued to S. Clausen et al., May 8, 1962. As the rolling pin reaches the right hand side of the rolling table, the bunch is delivered to the gripper jaws of a carriage unit GR, such as disclosed in Patent 2,298,279, issued to S. Clausen, Oct. 13, 1942.

The bunch is then taken from the gripper jaws of the carriage unit and is transferred to the pocket of the rolling apron of the second or wrapper-applying rolling table WT.

While the binder is being applied to the bunch charge, and the hunch is being transferred to the second rolling table, as above described, a leaf of tobacco placed upon the cutting die D2 of turret TW will have been rotated the wrapper-cutting roller assembly WC will have coacted with the cutting die to cut a wrap-per therefrom; the wrapper transfer arm AW will have picked up the cut wrapper W and will have rotated to place the cut wrapper W upon the wrapper rolling table WT. While enroute the wrapper paster unit WP will reciprocate its that disclosed in the above-mentioned Clausen Patent The rolling pin of the wrapper rolling table WT rolls the bound bunch into the wrapper W placed upon the rolling apron WR. The effective length adjustment for the wrapper rolling apron WR, and the apron tensioncontrol actuating linkage AL are of novel design and construction, and are so devised as to alternately place. the two edges of the rolling apron under increased tension. With this arrangement an undulatory tension, op-' posite in phase, is generated in the two edges of the rolling apron. This undulatory tension imparted to the apron edges causes the cigar being formed upon. the rolling table and within the pocket of the rolling apron to assume a shape characterized by an equal taper extending from the middle or any two selected points of the cigar to both of the ends thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 6. As

the rolling pin completes its transverse motion, the application of the wrapper to the bunch is completed.

As the wrapped bunch or cigar reaches the end of the rolling table WT, it is seized by a transfer mechanism TM which turns the cigar end-for-end and delivers Detailed description Heretofore, cigar-making machines having rolling tables and variably-tensionable rolling aprons coacting therewith have been found to possess the disadvantage that the cigar shapes produced thereby tend to be nonsymmetrical. The cigars so produced tend to have a substantially different rate of taper, as well as different crosssectional diameters at their ends, which is highly undesirable.

The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties by providing a new and improved mechanism for adjusting the effective length of the rolling apron to accommodate it to the particular cigar diameter required. Also, the present invention provides an improved mechanism for alternately subjecting the edges of the rolling apron to increasing and decreasing tension, thereby producing cigars having the same rate of taper and the same cross-sectional diameter at their two ends, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Bunch chargefrmati0n Referring to FIG. 1, the hopper H is supplied with a quantity of short-filler tobacco. The rake assembly 1, by its oscillatory motion, controls the movement and orientation of the pieces of filler tobacco, causing them to enter chute 2 in substantially parallel alignment, and at a right angle to their direction to travel. The tobacco moves down chute 2, and a predetermined quantity of tobacco is permitted to enter magazine M. The tobacco in magazine M is pushed by a plunger action into the compression chamber C where it is compressed into a horizontal column. A knife, carried by assembly 3.- descends and severs a bunch charge from the horizontal column of tobacco. As the knife descends, it actuates a bunch charge transfer mechanism 4, causing it to rotate about a horizontal axis, thereby transferring the bunch charge to the pocket of the rolling apron 5 of the binder-applying rolling table ET. The mechanisms referred to above are constructed and operate as described in the aforementioned Durning patent.

Cutting and transfer of binder Still referring to FIG. 1, the binder die turret TB has two positions, D1 and D1. While the bunch charge is being formed and transferred, a binder leaf was manually placed upon one of the positions, D1, for example, and held by suction in the usual manner. The turret will have rotated through 180, to position D1, thereby placing the binder leaf in the path of rollers 6 and 7 of cutting roller assembly BC. The rollers will have traversed the die position D1 and will have cut a binder from the leaf thereon. The binder transfer arm AB will have picked up the cut binder by means of suction head HB, will have rotated on its support 8, and, at the same time, will have pivoted suction head HB about its support 9 to place the properly-oriented cut binder B upon the rolling apron 5 of binder rolling table BT, where the binder paster BP, of conventional design, will have applied paste to the binder B.

Rolling of bunch into binder The rolling pin (not shown) of the binder rolling table BT now rolls the bunch charge (not shown) into the binder B placed upon the rolling apron 5, thus completing the forming of a bunch. The rolling table ET is constructed and operates as described in the above-mentioned Durning patent. The turret TB, the cutting roller assembly BC, the transfer arm AB, and the suction head HB are constructed and operate as described in the aforementioned Clausen Patent 3,033,210. The release of the cut binder from the die and its seizure by the transfer suction head is effected by suction valves, suitably timed by cams, in a manner well known in the art.

Delivery of bunch to transfer unit As the rolling pin (not shown) reaches the right hand side of the rolling table ET, the bunch is delivered to the gripper jaws 10 and 11 of a carriage unit GR.

Transfer of bunch t0 wrapper rolling table The bunch, properly positioned by the gripper jaws 10 and 11, is in the path of the gripper fingers 12 and 13 of the bunch transfer TR. The gripper fingers 12 and 13 are carried by a supporting member 14 which is pivotally supported by a vertical stud 15 which, in turn, is carried by supporting assembly 16 carried by radial arm 17. The radial arm 17 moves to and fro in a vertical plane, traversing a semi-circular path. When the arm 17 descended to the left, the supporting member 14 was rotated about the stud 15, causing the long dimension of the supporting member 14 to be oriented so that it was parallel to the length of the bunch supported by gripper fingers 10 and 11. The gripper fingers 12 and 13 grasped the bunch, lifting it clear of fingers 10 and 11. As the arm 17 ascends, the bunch 18 is carried upward in a clockwise arc and, at the same time, the supporting member 14 pivots about stud 15, whose axis is maintained in a vertical relationship. As the arm 17 descends to the right, the supporting member 14 will have been rotated so that the bunch 18 will be placed in the pocket of the rolling apron WR; where the position of the hunch is now indicated by the designation 18'. The carriage unit GR and the transfer unit TR are constructed and operate in a manner similar to that described in the aforementioned Clausen Patent 2,298,279; and the operating time sequences of the carriage and transfer units are under the control of suitable timing cams, in a manner well known in the art.

Cutting and transfer of wrapper Still referring to FIG. 1, the wrapper turret TW has two positions D2 and D2. While the bunch was being rolled and transferred to the wrapper rolling table WT, a wrapper leaf was manually placed upon one of the positions, D2, for example, and held by suction in the usual manner. The turret TW will have rotated through to position D2, thereby placing the wrapper leaf in the path of rollers 19 and 20 of cutting roller assembly WC. The rollers will have traversed the die position D2 and will have cut a wrapper from the leaf thereon. The wrapper transfer arm AW will have picked up the cut wrapper by means of suction head HW, will have rotated on its support 21, and, at the same time, will have pivoted suction head HW about its support 22 to place the properly oriented cut wrapper W upon the rolling apron WR. During the transfer the wrapper paster WP, of conventional design, will have applied paste to wrapper W, in a well known manner. The turret TW, the cutting roller assembly WC, the transfer arm AW, the suction head HW, and the wrapper paster WP are constructed and operate as described in the aforementioned Clausen Patent 3,033,210. The release of the cut wrapper from the die and its seizure by the suction head HW is effected by suction valves, suitably timed by cams, in a manner well known in the art.

The cigar forming mechanism Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the cigar forming mechanism comprises an S-shaped curved table WT, over which lies the correspondingly shaped rolling apron WR, under which apron is supported the rolling pin 23, together with apron length-adjusting means 38, and suitable apron tension control means, and suitable rolling pin actuating and control means.

The rolling table WT is provided with a detachable perforated cover plate 24 which covers a three-compartmented housing of which the two outer compartments 25 and 26 are at all times in communiaction with a source of suction through a duct 28 connected by a suitable tube 29 to a source of suction (not shown). The two compartments 25 and 26 are connected to each other by a duct 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The central compartment 31, through duct 32, is connected to a cam actuated suction valve (not shown) which applies and shuts off suction as required to hold and release the wrapper W. The rolling table cover plate 24 is 'detachably secured to the top of the rolling table WT to furnish a flat surface to roll the cigar on and to support the rolling apron WR. It is perforated in a definite pattern to permit the apron WR and the wrapper thereon to be held by suflicient suction. The rolling table perforation holes (not shown) are made conical in form so as to present a larger area at the upper surface of the cover plate than at the under surface, whereby a relatively large suction surface is applied to apron WR, while only a small volume of air is drawn in when the hole is uncovered. In order to provide means for positive adherence of both the wrapper W to the apron WR and the apron WR to the table cover plate 24, the holes (not shown) in the cover plate have a larger diam eter than the holes 33 in the apron. The wrapper W is held by suction through the small holes 33 in the apron. Said small holes are centered over large holes (not shown) in the cover plate. Thus the larger holes (not shown) in the cover plate apply suction both to the apron WR and the wrapper W by virtue of the different sizes of the holes, as above described. This is apart from the purpose of the above-described conical form of the holes (not shown) in the cover plate, which is provided to reduce bleeding of the suction system as the apron WR is lifted from the cover plate 24 during the rolling operation. The portions of the cover plate 24 above the chambers 25 and 26 are provided with holes (not shown) generally uniformly spaced, while over the area of the cover plate covering the central chamber 31 the holes (not shown) are spaced more closely and in a pattern conforming to the shape of the cut wrapper. The above-described rolling table WT and the rolling apron WR are constructed substantially the same as those described in the aforementioned Clausen Patent 3,033,210. The release of the cut wrapper from the suction head HW and its adherence to the rolling apron WR are effected by suction valves, suitably timed by cams, in a manner well known in the art.

The rolling apron WR is secured at one end to the rolling table WT by the clamping strip 34; and at the other end apron WR is secured by a clamping strip 35 to the apron length-adjusting arm 36. The apron lengthad-justing arm 36 is ia part of the apron length-adjusting means 38, and is carried by and projects radially from apron length-adjusting shaft 40. Shaft 40 is adjustably supported at its end by slotted brackets 41 and 42 which project forwardly from, and are integral with, apron control plate 43. The slotted brackets 41 and 42 are provided with locking set screws 44 and 45 respectively which, in their normal or tightened condition prevent shaft 40 from rotating, but which when loosened permit the shaft 40 to be rotated in the slotted brackets. One end of the shaft 40 (FIG. 4) is provided with a worm pinion threaded portion 3-7 which is in engagement with a worm threaded portion 39 on the adjusting screw 46. Thus, when the looking set screws 44 and 45 are loosened at the same time, the turning of adjusting screw 46 will cause a rotary motion to be imparted to tension adjusting shaft 40', a clockwise motion of shaft 40 causing the effective length of apron WR to be increased, and, conversely, a counter clockwise motion of shaft 40 causing the effective length of apron 40 to be decreased, thereby the normal tension of the apron being decreased or increased, respectively. Thus, by increasing the effective length of the rolling apron the diameter of the cigar may be increased, or vice versa.

The apron control plate 43 at one side is provided with a bearing 47 which is supported by pivot 48-. At the other side, the apron control plate is supported by pivot 49. Pivot 48 is carried by bearing 50 integral with lever 51. At the other end of lever 51 and integral therewith is a bearing 52. Bearing 52 is movably attached to and is supported by a pivot 53 carried by the upper bearing 54 and the lower bearing 55, which are respectively integral with the upper and lower arms 56 and 57 of the bifurcated arm of hell crank lever 58. Also integral with bell crank 58 are the upper and lower bearings 60 and 61 which constitute the fulcrum for bell crank 58 rotatable about pivot shaft 62. Shaft 62 is fixedly supported at the top end by bracket 63 secured to the frame of the machine by screws 64 and 65. Similarly, shaft 62 is fixedly supported at its bottom end by bracket 66 secured to the frame of the machine by screws 67 and 68. Also integral with bell crank 58 is the shorter arm 69, having at its end a bearing 70, connected by pivot 71 to bearing 72 at the end of connecting rod 73. Connecting rod 73, in a manner hereinafter described, communicates a cam controlled movement via the bell crank 58, to operate the tension control of the rolling apron WR.

The pivot 49 of the apron control plate 43 is carried by hearing 76 integral with rod 77 at the other end of which, and integral therewith, is a bearing 78. Bearing 78 is movably attached to and is supported by a pivot 79 carried by hearing 80 which is integral with the narrower end of lever 81. At the large end of lever 81, and integral therewith, is a bearing 82 which is rotatably supported by the fixedly-supporting pivot shaft 62. Also integral with lever 81 is the bearing 83 in which is carried the pivot 84. Connected to pivot 84 is the bearing 85 at the end of connecting rod 86. Connecting rod 86, in a manner hereinafter described, also communicates a cam-controlled movement, via the lever 8'1, to operate the tension control of the rolling apron WR.

A second bell crank lever 88 is rotatably supported by the fixedly-supported pivot shaft 62. At the end of the longer arm 89 of the bell crank 88, and integral therewith is a bearing 90 in which is carried the pivot 91. Connected to pivot 91 is the bearing 92 integral with rod 93. At the other end of rod 93 and integral therewith is the boa-ring 94. Extending from lever 51 is the short arm 95 having the bearing 96 integral therewith which carries pivot 97, and by means of .which short arm 95 is movably connected to rod 93. Pivot 97 constitutes a movable fulcrum point for lever 51. At the end of the shorter arm 98 of bell crank 88, and integral therewith, is a bearing 99 in which is carried the pivot 100. Connected to pivot 100 is the bearing 101 at the end of connecting rod 102. Connecting rod 102, in a manner hereinafter described, also communicates a cam-controlled movement, via the bell crank 88, to operate the tension control of the rolling apron WR.

The connecting rod 86, at its other end, is connected by pivot 105 to the bearing 106 which is integral with the upper end of hell crank lever 1107. Bell crank lever 107, by means of its bearing 108, is rotatably supported by pivot shaft 109. The bell crank lever 107 at its lower end carries a cam, roller 110 which engages with cam 111 driven by main shaft 112.

The connecting rod 73, at its other end, is connected by pivot 1 14 to the bearing 1115 which is integral with the upper end of hell crank lever 116. Bell crank lever 116 is rotatably supported at its bearing 117 by pivot shaft 1'18. Bell crank lever 1116 at its lower end carries a cam roller .119 which engages with cam 120 which, also, is driven by main shaft 112.

The connecting rod 102, at its other end, is connected by pivot 121 to the bearing 122 which is integral with the upper end of bell cran'k lever 123. Bell crank lever 123 is rotatably supported at its bearing 124 by pivot shaft 109. Bell crank lever 123 at its lower end carries a cam roller 125 which engages with cam 126 which, also, is driven by main shaft 112.

The three bell crank levers 107, 123, and 116 are spring-loaded by springs 127, 128 and 1 29, respectively, supported by spring posts 130, 131 and 132, respectively.

The three bell crank levers 107, 123 and 116 are oscillated by the rotation of the cams 111, 126 and 120, respectively. The excursions of the upper end of bell crank 107 are communicated to lever 81, through the previously described linkage, causing lever 81 to rock about pivot 62. The free end of lever 81 describes an are, communicating its motion, through pivot 79, rod 77, and pivot 49 to the apron control plate 43 thereby causing apron control plate 43 to tend to describe an arcuate motion about pivot 48.

The excursions of the upper end of bell crank 116 are communicated to arm 69 of bell crank lever 53, through the previously described linkage, causing bell crank lever 58 to rock about pivot 62. The longer arm 56 of lever 58 describes an are, communicating its motion through pivot 53, lever 51, and pivot 48 to the apron control plate 43. Since pivot 97, as previously described, constitutes a movable fulcrum point for lever 51, the upper end of lever 51 and the pivot 48 connected therewith tend to describe an arcuate motion about the pivot 97. The arcuate motion of pivot 48 causes apron control plate 43 to tend to describe an arcuate motion about pivot 49.

There is, however, another component of motion of the apron control plate 43, controlled by the bell crank lever 123. The excursions of the upper end of bell crank 123 are communicated to arm 98 of the bell crank lever 88, through the previously described linkage, causing bell crank lever 88 to rock about pivot 62. The longer arm 89 of lever 88 describes an arc, communicating its motion through pivot 91, rod 93, and pivot 97 to lever 51, thereby shifting the previously described movable fulcrum point for lever 51. The conjoint motions of bell crank levers 58 and 88 cause apron control plate 43 to also tend to move to the right or left.

The apron control plate 43 will, therefore, have imparted to it a complex motion, resulting from the movements of the cam-controlled bell crank levers 107, 123 and 116. The apron control plate 43 will have a longitudinal motion imparted thereto, which will alternately increase and decrease the overall tension applied to the rolling apron WR where it is attached to the length-adjusting arm 36 by clamping strip 35. Also, the apron conttrol plate 43 will have a lateral or yawing motion imparted thereto. Finally, the apron control plate 43 will have an oscillating motion applied thereto, twisting in a horizontal plane about a hypothetical vertical axis located on plate 43 approximately where an imaginary line connecting pivots 48 and 49 would intersect an imaginary line representing the longitudinal motion of plate 43. The oscillation of plate 43 causes the tension on one edge of the apron to be increased and, at the same time, causes the tension on the other edge of the apron to be decreased, and vice versa. The control of the overall tension of the rolling apron WR determines the diameter of the cigar as it is being wrapped; and the control of the tension at the edges of the apron, with the tension of one edge being increased while the tension of the other edge is being decreased, or vice versa, determines the diameter of the ends of the cigar and the rate of taper thereof.

The rolling pin 23, which is composed of a plurality of rollers employed to prevent undue friction due to difference in speed of opposed edges of the apron durin g the rolling of the conical portions of the cigar hunch, is mounted in a forked arm 131 bridged beneath the rolling table WT and is attached to a plate 132 carrying cam rollers 133 and 134 engaged in cam tracks 135 and 136 formed in the bottom flange 137 and the rolling table WT. Forked arm 131 is connected by link 138 to a lug 139 adjustable to the end of lever 140. Lever 140 is arranged to rock about a fixed pivot 141 and is connected to one end of a link 142. The other end of link 142 is pivotably connected to the longer arm 143 of a bell crank lever 144. The shorter arm 145 of bell crank lever 144 is, in turn arranged for actuation by cam roller 146 in engagement with cam 147 on the main shaft 112. Thus, rotation of shaft 112 causes rolling pin 23 to move longitudinally across table cover plate 24, causing the bound bunch to be rolled in the wrapper W on the apron WR, the cam tracks 135 and 136 causing a conical loop to be formed first on one edge of the apron and then on the other, whereby a double cone shaped cigar is rolled by the S-shaped apron WR in cooperation with the rolling pin 23. Thus, the traverse of the rolling pin 23 from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3 causes the bound bunch 18 (FIG. 1) in the apron pocket 151 to be rolled over the table top cover plate 24 and rolled across it in the fold of apron WR, the wrapper W on the apron WR being spirally wrapped around it at the same time. Thus, the combination of the three components of motion of the apron control plate 43, together with the swinging of rolling pin 23, result in packing tightly first one conical end of the cigar and then the other. The rolling table WT and the rolling pin 23 and its actuating means are constructed and operate as described in the above-mentioned Clausen Patent 3,033,210. The sequence of rolling operations is generally similar to those described and illustrated in US. Patent 1,586,330 issued to R. E. Rundell, May 25, 1925.

The transfer, trimming and knurling mechanism Referring now to FIG. 1, the cigar, after forming, is rolled off the end of the rolling table WT into the jaws 153. The gripper jaws 153 are adjustably secured on a horizontal rod 154 which is held by a transfer member 155. Transfer member 155 is pivotally mounted at one end on a stud 156 which is secured to lever 157 lying below it. The transfer member 155 is secured at its other end to a stud 158 which is connected to one end of a link or lever 159. Lever 159 is pivoted at its extreme end to a fixed bracket 160. Arm 157 is secured to a shaft (not shown) journaled in a suitable bearing (not shown) of bracket 160. The said shaft, at its lower end, is connected to suitable driving means (not shown) for causing arm 157, link 159 and link 155 to swing in a counterclockwise direction, which brings the cigar, reversed end-for-end, over the open cradle fingers 161 of the trimming and knurling mechanism TK.

As the cigar is held by the jaws 153 of the transfer mechanism TM in position above the cradle fingers 161, a cam-actuated mechanism (not shown) imparts an upward motion to the same so that the cigar is lifted out of the jaws 153 and is supported in cradle fingers 161. The fingers 161 carrying the cigar dwell for a short period above the transfer jaws 153 until the latter move out of the way to their starting position. At this point, the cigar will be seized by the gripping fingers 162 of the trimming and knurling mechanism TK, the two ends of the cigar will be trimmed off by shearing knives 163, and the head end of the cigar will be give-n a smooth finish by the knurling head 164. The transfer mechanism TM, and the trimming and knurling mechanism TK and the actuating means therefor may be similar in construction and operation to those described in the above-mentioned Clausen Patent 3,033,210.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and described hereinabove, but is capable of such modification, substitution of parts, components and elements as would occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine having a wrapper rolling table,

a rolling apron thereon, a rolling pin adapted to traverse said table, means adapted to supply a bound cigar bunch to said table, means adapted to supply a wrapper to said rolling apron on said table, and means adapted to impel said rolling pin along said table whereby said bound cigar bunch is rolled in said wrapper in a pocket of said apron to form a cigar, an apron control plate, said apron having lateral edges and being secured to said table at one end and adjustably secured to said control plate at the other end, means adapted to displace said control plate, comprising an apron length-adjusting arm, an apron length-adjusting shaft to which one end of said arm is secured, an apron length-adjusting bracket secured to said apron control plate, worm-engaging threads carried by a portion of said shaft, an adjustment stud carried by said bracket and having a worm-threaded portion thereon in engagement with said threads carried by said shaft for rotating said shaft to adjust the angular position of said arm secured to said shaft, a locking screw carried by said bracket for locking the said shaft in an adjusted position, (an arcuate portion at the other end of said arm and radial to said shaft, a clamping plate secured to said arcuate portion for clamping said other end of said apron.

2. In a cigar machine having a wrapper rolling table, a rolling apron thereon, a rolling pin adapted to traverse said table, means adapted to supply a bound cigar bunch to said table, means adapted to supply a wrapper to said rolling apron on said table, and means adapted to impel said rolling pin along said table whereby said bound cigar bunch is rolled in said wrapper in a pocket of said apron to form a cigar, an apron control plate, said apron having lateral edges and being secured to said table at one end and adjustably secured to said control plate at the other end, means adapted to displace said control plate, comprising an apron length-adjusting arm, an apron lengthadjusting shaft to which one end of said arm is secured, an apron length-adjusting bracket secured to said apron control plate, worm-engaging threads carried by a portion of said shaft, an adjustment stud carried by said bracket and having a worm-threaded portion thereon in engagement with said threads carried by said shaft for rotating said shaft to adjust the angular position of said arm secured to said shaft, a locking screw carried by said bracket for locking the said shaft in an adjusted position, an arcuate portion at the other end of said arm and radial to said shaft, a clamping plate secured to said arcuate portion for clamping said other end of said apron to said arcuate portion, whereby a suitable change in the setting of said adjustment stud will effect a corresponding change in the angular position of said apron length-adjusting arm which will cause a corresponding change in the effective length of the apron, and whereby a given increment of change in efiective apron length will effect a corresponding increment of change in cigar diameter, said increments of diameter change being the same at any point throughout the length of the cigar and without changing the angle of taper.

3. In a cigar machine having a wrapper rolling table, a rolling apron thereon, a rolling pin adapted to traverse said table, means adapted to supply a bound cigar bunch to said table, means adapted to supply a wrapper to said rolling apron on said table, and means adapted to impel said rolling pin along said table whereby said bound cigar hunch is rolled in said wrapper in a pocket of said apron to form a cigar, an apron control plate, said apron having lateral edges and being secured to said table at one end and adjustably secured to said control plate at the other end, means adapted to displace said control plate, com'- prising a first supporting pivot for one end of said apron control plate and a second supporting pivot for the other end of said apron control plate, a first cam-controlled linkage member connected to said first supporting pivot, and a second cam-controlled linkage member connected to said second supporting pivot, both said cam-controlled linkages being arranged to impart a complex motion to said control plate, causing said control plate to oscillate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, to move longitudinally, and to swing laterally during the rolling of a cigar on said rolling table.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,415 9/1891 Wertheimer 131-51 X 3,199,514 8/1965 Petri et al. 131-51 X 55,217 5/1866 Reiniger 131-52 544,650 8/1895 Apsey et a1. 13152 1,128,989 2/1915 Lacroix 131-29 1,586,330 5/1926 Rundell 131-35 1,786,609 12/1930 Halstead 131-32 X 2,298,279 10/1942 Clausen 13132 2,306,381 12/1942 Durning 13132 2,366,211 1/1945 Olsson 13129 3,033,210 5/ 1962 Clausen et al. 13129 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. H. P. DEELEY, Assistant Examiner. 

